For SDS (Student Direct Stream) study permit applicants asking about IELTS band requirements:
- If you take IELTS Academic, the minimum requirement historically has been an overall band score of 6.0.
- If you take IELTS General Training instead, the requirement has been a minimum of 6.0 in each individual skill — Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking — not just an overall average.
- Confirm which IELTS version your target institution and program require before booking your test, since not all universities accept IELTS General Training for admission even if SDS accepts it for the permit application.
Note: SDS eligibility rules and required band scores have changed over time (SDS itself has been discontinued and reinstated in different forms in the past), so verify the current requirement directly on IRCC's website before relying on this.